Three and out: How Oklahoma high school football's top Week 8 games were won
The Oklahoman sports team delivers the key players, moments and more from the area's top high school football games in Week 8.
More: The Oklahoman's Week 8 picks for every high school football game in the state
Norman 27, Mustang 19
Three takeaways from Class 6A-1 Norman's 27-19 road win over No. 8 Mustang on Friday night.
Player of the game: Dax Noles. The Norman senior and OU preferred walk-on commit made some big plays in the second half. Primarily known for being a standout defensive back, he ran for two 1-yard touchdowns while taking direct snaps out of the wildcat formation in the third quarter. He caught a 41-yard touchdown pass from Phoenix Murphy in the fourth.
Top moment: Murphy’s 41-yard touchdown pass to Noles with 6:27 left in the game came at a clutch moment and gave Norman (3-5, 3-2 District 6A-I-2) some breathing room. It was a great pass and catch, and Norman’s defense backed it up with a strong finish to seal the win over the Broncos (4-4, 1-4).
Devin Alexander delivers solid performance: The Norman senior tailback was reliable and finished with 32 carries for 128 yards. One of the top sprinters in the state during the track season, he’s gaining some college interest. Alexander has Division-II football offers from Central Missouri, Central Oklahoma and East Central.
—Nick Sardis, Staff writer
More: How 'new faces’ are propelling Bethany football to District 4A-2 success
Millwood 22, Oklahoma Christian School 20
Three takeaways from Class 2A No. 2 Millwood’s thrilling 22-20 home victory over No. 8 Oklahoma Christian School on Friday night.
Read option: Both teams entered the contest at 4-0 in Class 2A District 1. The victory propelled Millwood (7-1 overall, 5-0 District 1) into the driver’s seat for the district championship. The Flacons close the regular season with games against Hennessey and Blackwell, two teams that entered Friday with a combined 1-7 district record.
Key moment: After a 71-yard touchdown pass from Millwood sophomore quarterback Schuylar Turnbull to junior receiver Xzavier Thompson cut the Falcons’ deficit to 20-14, their defense grabbed the lead for good. With the OCS offense backed up deep in its own territory, an errant snap got away from the quarterback and tumbled into the end zone. Millwood senior defensive end Micho Lavine won the race to the ball for a touchdown with 7:49 to go. The ensuing two-point conversion by sophomore tailback Lemar Davis gave Millwood a 22-20 lead it would not relinquish.
Player of the game: Lavine. The North Texas commit applied consistent pressure all game long from his defensive end position. Lavine collected a sack,and his fourth quarter fumble recovery in the end zone set up the game-winning two-point conversion.
—Douglas Miles, For The Oklahoman
More: 'I wasn't dreaming': How Carl Albert stunned Guthrie in battle of Class 5A football powers
Jones 57, Chandler 28
Three takeaways from Class 2A third-ranked Jones’ 57-28 road win over No. 6 Chandler on Friday night:
Player of the game: Isaiah Sawyer. The former cornerback has found his niche as a senior running back. Sawyer led the Longhorns with 19 carries for a career-high 203 yards and two touchdowns. Each touchdown rush went for at least 40 yards.
Top moment: Late in the second quarter, Sawyer found a crease and jetted into space, taking the ball 49 yards to the end zone. It was his first touchdown of the night, and the Longhorns followed with a 2-point conversion to extend their lead to 24-8.
Read option: Chandler quarterback Alec Jackson left the game early in the second quarter with an unspecified injury and did not return. With the game tied at 8, the senior star kept the ball for a 4-yard gain and stayed down on the field for a few moments after the play, eventually walking gingerly to the sideline with someone supporting him on each side. Senior Braxton Estes, who typically plays receiver, filled in for Jackson at quarterback, throwing for two touchdowns and rushing for one.
—Hallie Hart, Staff writer
More: Meet the people ‘moving mountains’ to keep high school football in Shawnee after tornado
Bixby 78, Westmoore 28
Three key takeaways from first-ranked Bixby’s 78-28 road win over Class 6A-I foe No. 5 Westmoore on Friday night.
Player of the game: Jett Turner. The senior running back rushed 16 times in the first half for 1100 yards and two touchdowns. Turner, who also plays linebacker for the Spartans, intercepted a pass on Westmoore’s first drive of the half and was rested for the remainder of the game afterward.
Key moment: After the Spartans defense forced a three-and-out from the Jaguars, Bixby ATH Kordell Gouldsby returned a punt 53 yards for a touchdown. The score proved pivotal as it gave Bixby total momentum early in the second quarter and extended their lead to 22, giving them a lift heading into halftime.
Read option: Westmoore QB MJ Graham had an electric night for the Jaguars despite the loss. The Houston commit completed 16 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns while scoring an additional touchdown on the ground late in the second half.
—Jordan Davis, Staff writer
More: Issac Covington makes 'play after play after play' as Tulsa Union beats Edmond Santa Fe
Carl Albert 24, Guthrie 21
Three takeaways from Class 5A No. 1-ranked Carl Albert’s 24-21 road win over Class 5A No. 2 Guthrie on Thursday night.
Player of the game: Marcus James. The senior tight end scored two of the Titans’ three touchdowns on the night, including the game-winning score on fourth down. James also caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kevin Sperry Jr. to break Carl Albert’s scoring drought at the end of the first half.
Key moment: As Carl Albert trailed 21-17 on the Bluejays' 5-yard line with 45 seconds remaining, James silenced the Guthrie roaring crowd on fourth down after catching the game-winning touchdown. The score was set up by a 38-yard catch from receiver Trystan Haynes to put the Titans in position near the goal line.
Read option: Guthrie running back Jaylen Harper had a dominant game from start to finish. The senior rushed 22 times for 110 yards and two touchdowns, eclipsing 100 yards rushing for his eighth consecutive game. He recently received his first offer from Culver Stockton College in Missouri.
—Jordan Davis, Staff writer
More: Oklahoma high school football scoreboard: OSSAA Week 8 schedule, scores & highlights
Tulsa Union 31, Edmond Santa Fe 10
Three takeaways from Class 6A-I Tulsa Union's 31-10 win at Edmond Sante Fe on Thursday night:
Player of the game: Issac Covington. The Tulsa Union senior is known for being a standout defensive back, but he was valuable on both sides of the ball Thursday. Covington lined up at running back and scored on a 1-yard carry with 11:03 left in the fourth quarter as second-ranked Tulsa Union (7-1, 5-0 District 6A-I-2) took a 24-10 lead. He finished with five carries for 62 yards and also intercepted a pass.
Top moment: With Tulsa Union leading 17-10 in the fourth, Covington entered at running back and made a big impact, helping the Redhawks march down the field with carries of 22, 33 and five yards before scoring on a 1-yard run. That scoring drive gave Tulsa Union a nice cushion before it pulled away for the win.
Demarius Robinson leads Edmond Santa Fe: The junior tailback is having a breakout season with the fourth-ranked Wolves (5-2, 4-1), and he had another solid performance Thursday. Robinson finished with 23 carries for 158 yards and a touchdown. He also had four catches for 16 yards.
—Nick Sardis, Staff writer
More: See the best photos from the Oklahoma high school football season
Bethany 38, Harrah 14
Three takeaways from Bethany’s 38-14 home win over Harrah on Thursday night:
Player of the game: Wyatt Geissler. The junior receiver led Bethany with six catches for 108 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown in the third quarter. As a defensive back, he grabbed one of the Bronchos’ three interceptions.
Top moment: Soon before halftime, Geissler leapt above a defender to snag a 48-yard pass from quarterback Jackie Payne. The electric play brought the Bronchos into Harrah territory, and Judson Gilliland capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown rush on fourth down.
Read option: Junior kicker Ruslan Calderon had a consistent night for the Bronchos. He was 5 for 5 in PAT attempts and made a 44-yard field goal for Bethany’s final score.
—Hallie Hart, Staff writer
More: Oklahoma high school football 2023 season preview: The top players, teams and more
Kingfisher 42, McLoud 3
Three takeaways from Class 3A Kingfisher’s 42-3 home rout of McLoud on Thursday:
Read option: Thursday night was Kingfisher’s first game under interim head coach Stan Blundell. Blundell replaced longtime Kingfisher coach Jeff Myers, who was placed on administrative leave Wednesday after an investigation by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation resulted in a felony charge of child neglect against Myers and three others, which stemmed from a lawsuit by a former player that alleged hazing among players with Myers’ knowledge.
Key moment: After the tumultuous week, Kingfisher wasted no time seizing momentum against McLoud. On the Redskins’ fourth offensive play from scrimmage, Kingfisher senior defensive back Hunter Delozier stepped in front of a McLoud pass and raced 51 yards for a touchdown that gave the Yellowjackets a 7-0 lead just over two minutes into the game. The Kingfisher defense allowed less than 200 total yards, recorded five sacks, intercepted two passes and kept the Redskins out of the end zone.
Player of the game: Kingfisher’s Dallen Barton. The senior tailback/linebacker ran for two touchdowns in the first half, returned a kickoff 38 yards and had a 49-yard punt return for a score nullified due to a penalty as the Yellowjackets improved to 9-0 all-time against McLoud.
—Douglas Miles, For The Oklahoman
More: Oklahoma high school football: Three under-the-radar storylines heading into Week 8
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma high school football: How top OSSAA Week 8 games were won
